A driver and his friend robbed his 85-year-old employer’s flat, but the woman had done police verification of her employees, which helped crack the case

A senior citizen’s diligence and attention to detail helped nab the two men who stole valuables worth R27 lakh from her Khar home. The Khar police arrested a driver and his friend for stealing valuables from the 85-year-old woman’s flat.

Milind Chafe (32) worked as her driver, and his friend Praful Hate (23) was the accomplice. According to the police, verification of servants by the senior citizen before employing them helped them crack the case on time.

The complainant is retired from the police service and lives alone in her flat in Khar (West). The incident took place in the last week of February.

Chafe had made duplicate keys of the house and asked his friend to steal valuables when he would be with the complainant, to prove that he is not involved in the crime.

On the day of the incident, the complainant went with her driver to meet a relative. Chafe called Hate and told him that the house was unoccupied. Hate went to the house and stole valuables including gold, silver, diamond and precious stones.

A day after the incident, Chafe went on leave for two days, and the same day, the senior citizen registered the case at Khar police station. As she had conducted police verification of her driver and other servants, the police were able to arrest the accused quickly.

They have also recovered valuables worth Rs 17 lakh. Chafe and Hate had taken the loot to Zaveri Bazaar and were selling it for cash. According to the police, Chafe had also stolen valuables in November, but was let off after a warning.

“Verification of servants is necessary, especially for senior citizens who live alone. In this case, the verification details helped us crack the case,” said a Khar police official.

Police verificationIn verification of servants, details like personal information, family background, earlier experience and information about their family, along with fingerprints and photographs, are taken and verified by the local police station. A signed copy of the verification is then handed over to the employer.